A Moment in Time
by Crafty Lefty
Summary: Fox and Falco share a moment together over the dead of night and a few cigarettes. Sometimes peace and quiet along with a good friend is all you really need.


**A/N: Just knocked out the one-shot to try and encourage myself to be more active around here. I still have a lot of work on my other main story and I promised a few people to read their work. If you're one of those people – and you know who you are – I'm sorry. I'm working on it, really. The school year just eats up a lot of time and keeps me away from this site. But I'm not gone for good. I promise.**

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Fox stood leaning with his forearms on his balcony railing. The team had just taken some leave and retreated to their own business in Corneria City. It was the dead of night, and the captain just stood there staring down at the empty streets from his apartment, cigarette in hand. A lot of things were racing about his head lately, and the leave couldn't have come sooner.

Business wasn't slow, but he knew every once in a while everyone just needed a break from each another. Staying confined to a single ship with four other people, as close as they might be, just gets taxing after a while. You can never avoid cabin fever now matter how big your ship is.

Fox had just stayed in his apartment since everyone parted. It may not seem like a huge change from spending time in the Great Fox to spending time in an apartment, but it was like another world to him. Life was just simpler, easier even. Of course life is easier when you're not at work. But it wasn't even about that.

His ears perked up at the soft sound of a hand on the glass door behind him. He strained his neck around to see Falco with his hand still on the handle, eyes asking if it was ok for him to come out. Fox just smiled a bit and turned back to face the empty street. He didn't say a word as his teammate walked up beside him and leaned on the railing as well.

"Didn't think you'd be awake right now," said the taller avian, "Do you even know what time it is?"

Fox just laughed to himself a bit and shook his head while pitching his cigarette onto the sidewalk several stories below. "Not really. Doesn't matter though, does it?"

Falco watched the ember fall slowly to the ground. "I guess not. Figured you'd be asleep though. I was just gonna crash on your couch and hang out with you tomorrow or something."

The captain turned to him and asked, "How'd you get in here anyway?"

"Your door was open. I was gonna pick it anyway if it wasn't. Figured you wouldn't mind."

Fox just laughed in response. "Figured I wouldn't mind you breaking into my apartment? Ok, that's cool I guess," he said sarcastically.

The two remained silent for a while as they both stared off into the night sky. To think that they had been to or passed so many of the celestial bodies up there.

Breaking the silence, Fox said, "There's just something peaceful about it, isn't there?"

"What do you mean?" asked the taller pilot.

"The dead of night. I always like standing out here when no one's around. Just…gives you time to think about things."

Falco didn't answer. He just looked off at the surrounding buildings.

Fox continued, "I don't know. There's just something so peaceful about it to me. It's like just for the moment, you're the only one around at all. Everyone is gone."

The avian chimed in, "Well everyone is gone. Normal people are asleep right now."

The captain chuckled a bit and turned to his friend. "Well then fine. What are you doing up so late if it's so crazy?"

"Dude I never sleep normal hours. Not even on the ship. You should know that by now."

Turning back around to face the street, Fox said, "Yeah, I know." He pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, grabbing one between his forefingers. He gestured the pack at Falco while placing it in his mouth. "Want one?"

The avian smiled a bit and gave him a confused look. "What the hell man? You know I quit."

Fox just laughed in response, striking a match and bringing it to meet the cigarette.

Falco softly stated, "I didn't even know you smoked."

"Well I don't normally," he said shaking out the match, "Can't really smoke on a ship without bothering everyone around you. Only when I'm here, really."

The avian nodded in understanding. They stood there again in silence, Fox taking a drag from his cigarette and letting the smoke slowly wisp out of his mouth. Falco just stood there suddenly more stoic. The silence suddenly grew a bit thicker and Fox turned to look at his friend. He was staring to the ground with an obvious worry in his eyes.

"Why'd you really come here?"

Falco's empty stare didn't waver. He just kept looking off into nothing, lost in thought.

Fox continued, "You never come here just to hang out. You see enough of me on the ship as it is. What's up?"

The avian sighed and softly said, "I was just worried about you is all. Figured you could use a friend."

The captain was caught a bit off guard. "What makes you think something's wrong?" he asked before taking a hit from his cigarette.

"I know you and Krystal have been having problems. It's all over you whenever it happens."

Fox stared down to the street. "Is it really that obvious?"

Falco nodded slowly. Fox continued, "Yeah we've been fighting lately. I'd be lying if I said that wasn't part of the reason I called the leave. Hope you're not mad."

"It's fine man. I think we can skip a mission or two for the sake of stability," he turned to face his friend who was now mimicking his empty stare from a moment ago. 'But I mean…is everything alright?"

The captain took another drag. "Yeah, it'll be fine. Things'll work out. I love her, so…"

Falco analyzed Fox's face for a moment before staring up at the sky. "Yeah, I know."

Silence hung in the air for a while as they both thought to themselves.

"What about you though?" asked Fox suddenly.

The taller pilot turned to him. "What about me?"

"Haven't seen you with anyone lately. Haven't heard you talk about anyone. You've been alone pretty much since Katt."

Falco stared off into space again, not answering for some time. "I don't know. I just…don't like dealing with it."

Fox turned to him with a furrowed brow and asked, "Dealing with what?"

He sighed. "Just all the bullshit that goes along with relationships. It's just a bunch of games. Especially with Katt it was. I don't get why people can't just…" he sighed again and paused for a moment. He stared up at the sky and continued, "It's like if people feel attracted to someone, they feel the need to play all these damn mind games. I just don't get it. Like why can't people just say how they feel and be done with it?"

Fox took a hit from his cigarette. "People don't want to put themselves out there to be shot down. They like to test the waters to see if the other person's gonna wade in too."

Falco sighed. "I guess. I'm just fed up with keeping up with women and how they react to stuff like that. All these signals I'm supposed to understand. I just don't like dealing with it. It's bullshit."

"Not gonna argue with you there." The captain sighed. "I guess it was easier with Krystal. She could read my mind, so she already knew how I felt about her. Guess it made things easier."

The avian continued staring at the sky. "Definitely. Call me pessimistic, but I just don't feel like trying if it's going to be like that. It's just not worth the effort to me anymore."

Fox tossed the burning traces of his cigarette onto the street below. They both watched it fall and until the ember wisped out on the ground below them. Another silence ensued before Falco spoke again.

"Fuckin' bitches man."

Fox looked to him in confusion before laughing. "Sorry, couldn't help it."

The avian smiled. "Can't blame you."

The captain reached into his pocket and pulled out the box of cigarettes again. He motioned it to Falco. "Want one now?"

The taller pilot just smiled before taking one out of the box. He struck a match and lit it before offering the small flame to Fox to light his own.

Silence befell them again as they both enjoyed the night. After a while of being lost in his own thoughts, Fox just smiled.

"Fuckin'…bitches…"


End file.
